I was talking to my buddie (in the army going on 6years) the other day, and I told him I was going to talk to a recruter about joining. Possably as a M.P. or as a 15T. He told me not to go for M.P. as I would get no respect and my chances at getting a job as a LEO (my current field of work but as a private cop at a embassy in DC) this is not the first time i have herd bad things about military police what is the true story?

DustyJacket

02-25-2009, 05:35

Actually, a lot of Denver coppers were MPs.

But the MPs aren't about law enforcement most of the time. The do physical security, convoy escorts, handle POWs, and do rear battle operations and stuff.

The law enforcement aspect is minor, overall.

The Maggy

02-25-2009, 12:48

How much respect can you expect to get when youre writing a ticket to a SSG or SFC that has 5 or 6 deployments under his belt and you are a PFC without a combat patch?

Talk to your recuiter about CID, they don't chase speeders and write tickets but they are like the detectives of the Army.

CalmWaters

02-25-2009, 13:14

I was an MP back when the MOS was still 95B. There has been a major refocus from Garrison Police Duties to Combat MP Roles.

MP's could move into the CID but you can go directly into it as well http://www.cid.army.mil/.

I wouldn't waste time doing anything less than CID if you want some type of actual LE duties. JMHO

Training Junkie

02-28-2009, 00:57

what about 35 series (mil intel) especially 35m or 35l? much better post mil opportunities.

Dean

03-10-2009, 14:23

Let me level with you, Kid:
You'll get the same respect as any other soldier as an MP.
I was an MP. I turned down all the "Crypto Maintenance - Intel Linguist B.S." the Army had, because I wanted to be a Soldier, not a "Technician."
As an MP you'll patrol some very hostile piece of turf along with the rest of your squad. You'll escort convoys. You'll also do law enforcement work, depending on your unit. You'll close with and destroy enemies of the United States of America. Your brassard-tab will mark you as an officer and a worthwhile target for enemy snipers.

The notion that a police department won't hire an Army MP is total B.S. Just horse manure. Don't believe a word of that crap. They'll hire you right away, if you meet their other requirements and interview well. Trust me, on that. They hired me. Twice. So did the Coast Guard, which is probably the best ex-MP job in the U.S. government. But you're not ready for that yet, are you Troop? :drillsgt:

Day One: The War With Iran

The war began as planned.
The Israeli pilots took off well before dawn and streaked across Lebanon and northern Iraq, high above Kirkuk. Flying US-made F-15 and F-16s, the Israelis separated over the mountains of western Iran, the pilots gesturing a last minute show of confidence in their mission, maintaining radio silence.

Just before the sun rose over Tehran, moments before the Muslim call to prayer, the missiles struck their targets. While US Air Force AWACS planes circled overhead–listening, watching, recording–heavy US bombers followed minutes later. Bunker-busters and mini-nukes fell on dozens of targets while Iranian anti-aircraft missiles sped skyward.

The ironically named Bushehr nuclear power plant crumbled to dust. Russian technicians and foreign nationals scurried for safety. Most did not make it.

Targets in Saghand and Yazd, all of them carefully chosen many months before by Pentagon planners, were destroyed. The uranium enrichment facility in Natanz; a heavy water plant and radioisotope facility in Arak; the Ardekan Nuclear Fuel Unit; the Uranium Conversion Facility and Nuclear Technology Center in Isfahan; were struck simultaneously by USAF and Israeli bomber groups.

The Tehran Nuclear Research Center, the Tehran Molybdenum, Iodine and Xenon Radioisotope Production Facility, the Tehran Jabr Ibn Hayan Multipurpose Laboratories, the Kalaye Electric Company in the Tehran suburbs were destroyed.

Iranian fighter jets rose in scattered groups. At least those Iranian fighter planes that had not been destroyed on the ground by swift and systematic air strikes from US and Israeli missiles. A few Iranian fighters even launched missiles, downing the occasional attacker, but American top guns quickly prevailed in the ensuing dogfights.

The Iranian air force, like the Iranian navy, never really knew what hit them. Like the slumbering US sailors at Pearl Harbor, the pre-dawn, pre-emptive attack wiped out fully half the Iranian defense forces in a matter of hours.

By mid-morning, the second and third wave of US/Israeli raiders screamed over the secondary targets. The only problem now, the surprising effectiveness of the Iranian missile defenses. The element of surprise lost, US and Israeli warplanes began to fall from the skies in considerable numbers to anti-aircraft fire.

At 7:35 AM, Tehran time, the first Iranian anti-ship missile destroyed a Panamanian oil tanker, departing from Kuwait and bound for Houston. Launched from an Iranian fighter plane, the Exocet split the ship in half and set the ship ablaze in the Strait of Hormuz. A second and third tanker followed, black smoke billowing from the broken ships before they blew up and sank. By 8:15 AM, all ship traffic on the Persian Gulf had ceased.

US Navy ships, ordered earlier into the relative safety of the Indian Ocean, south of their base in Bahrain, launched counter strikes. Waves of US fighter planes circled the burning wrecks in the bottleneck of Hormuz but the Iranian fighters had fled.

At 9 AM, Eastern Standard Time, many hours into the war, CNN reported a squadron of suicide Iranian fighter jets attacking the US Navy fleet south of Bahrain. Embedded reporters aboard the ships–sending live feeds directly to a rapt audience of Americans just awakening–reported all of the Iranian jets destroyed, but not before the enemy planes launched dozens of Exocet and Sunburn anti-ship missiles. A US aircraft carrier, cruiser and two destroyers suffered direct hits. The cruiser blew up and sank, killing 600 men. The aircraft carrier sank an hour later.

By mid-morning, every military base in Iran was partially or wholly destroyed. Sirens blared and fires blazed from hundreds of fires. Explosions rocked Tehran and the electrical power failed. The Al Jazeerah news station in Tehran took a direct hit from a satellite bomb, leveling the entire block.

At 9:15 AM, Baghdad time, the first Iranian missile struck the Green Zone. For the next thirty minutes a torrent of missiles landed on GPS coordinates carefully selected by Shiite militiamen with cell phones positioned outside the Green Zone and other permanent US bases. Although US and Israeli bomber pilots had destroyed 90% of the Iranian missiles, enough Shahabs remained to fully destroy the Green Zone, the Baghdad airport, and a US Marine base. Thousands of unsuspecting US soldiers died in the early morning barrage. Not surprisingly, CNN and Fox withheld the great number of casualties from American viewers.

By 9:30 AM, gas stations on the US east coast began to raise their prices. Slowly at first and then altogether in a panic, the prices rose. $4 a gallon, and then $5 and then $6, the prices skyrocketed. Worried motorists, rushing from work, roared into the nearest gas station, radios blaring the latest reports of the pre-emptive attack on Iran. While fistfights broke out in gas stations everywhere, the third Middle Eastern war had begun.

In Washington DC, the spin began minutes after the first missile struck its intended target. The punitive strike–not really a war said the harried White House spokesman–would further democracy and peace in the Middle East. Media pundits mostly followed the party line. By ridding Iran of weapons of mass destruction, Donald Rumsfeld declared confidently on CNN, Iran might follow in the footsteps of Iraq, and enjoy the hard won fruits of freedom.

The president scheduled a speech at 2 PM. Gas prices rose another two dollars before then. China and Japan threatened to dump US dollars. Gold rose $120 an ounce. The dollar plummeted against the Euro.

A violent coup toppled the pro-American Pakistan president. On the New York Stock Exchange, prices fell in a frenzy of trading–except for the major petroleum producers. A single, Iranian Shahab missile struck Tel Aviv, destroying an entire city block. Israel vowed revenge, and threatened a nuclear strike on Tehran, before a hastily called UN General Assembly in New York City eased tensions.

An orange alert in New York City suddenly reddened to a full-scale terror alarm when a package detonated on a Manhattan subway. Mayor Bloomberg declared martial law. Governor Pataki ordered the New York National Guard fully mobilized, mobilizing what few national guardsmen remained in the state.

President Bush looked shaken at 2 PM. The scroll below the TV screen reported Persian Gulf nations halting production of oil until the conflict could be resolved peacefully. Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez, announced a freeze in oil deliveries to the US would begin immediately. Tony Blair offered to mediate peace negotiations, between the US and Israel and Iran, but was resoundingly rejected.

By 6 PM, Eastern Standard Time, gas prices had stabilized at just below $10 a gallon. A Citgo station in Texas, near Fort Sam Houston Army base, was firebombed. No one claimed responsibility. Terrorism was not ruled out.

At sunset, the call to prayer–in Tehran, Baghdad, Islamabad, Ankara, Jerusalem, Jakarta, Riyadh–sounded uncannily like the buzzing of enraged bees.

by Douglas Herman
May 25, 2008

deadday

03-10-2009, 14:47

How much respect can you expect to get when youre writing a ticket to a SSG or SFC that has 5 or 6 deployments under his belt and you are a PFC without a combat patch?

Talk to your recuiter about CID, they don't chase speeders and write tickets but they are like the detectives of the Army.

Or writing speeding tickets on a FOB in IQ or A-stan?

babarracing

03-10-2009, 15:14

:steamed: Hoah for all MP's. They fight in three man teams with a 50 cal up top and infantry troops are sure darn glad when they come to join the fight. My Boy did 15 mos in Q zone and other locals showering with bottled water some times. The best they ever had it was being posted on a base with IP's then the mort ar attacks were reduced considerably. Sound familiar to any of you other VN vets? My grandson is now in IRAG or A-Stan we don't know which. They are real men. You try doing road duty at Bragg and you'd learn some stuff real fast.

deadday

03-10-2009, 15:19

:steamed: Hoah for all MP's. They fight in three man teams with a 50 cal up top and infantry troops are sure darn glad when they come to join the fight. My Boy did 15 mos in Q zone and other locals showering with bottled water some times. The best they ever had it was being posted on a base with IP's then the mort ar attacks were reduced considerably. Sound familiar to any of you other VN vets? My grandson is now in IRAG or A-Stan we don't know which. They are real men. You try doing road duty at Bragg and you'd learn some stuff real fast.

Here, let's just measure them.

http://iruler.net/ruler_0_10.jpg

eta- Road duty at Bragg? You're ****ing kidding right?

deadday

03-10-2009, 15:35

Look, OP, there is nothing wrong with being an MP. But there are a lot of things wrong with certain MPs. It really depends on you, your Chain, and your Command environment. Some MPs go power crazy, some don't. Some waste deployments writing speeding/parking tickets on FOBs, some go out and do something useful.

I've heard both sides of the coin in regards to civillian employment after the Army. On the one hand, you have LE experience, assuming you've pulled some Law and Order missions, but some will say that you also pick up bad habits as an MP that a civ department would have to 'train out of you'. I was a .civ LEO before the Army, but did not go into the Army as an MP.

GreenBeret1631

03-10-2009, 20:12

I have been an MP in the US Army on a few occasions during my military career. I have done both combat (Korea) and garrison duties in CONUS and Occupied Japan.

It is a needed and honorable MOS and good job. The combat MPs are respected by the troops that they serve with for the jobs that they do. Most Army Posts now days are hiring civilians to do the garrison duties on post, Gate duty and road patrol, etc

As for LE jobs, as I said I was an MP off and on and I served 34 Years in civilian LE and retired as a Captain from a Major LE department.

When trying for a civilian job as an LEO, you will find that having been an MP doesn't do a thing for you in most civil service testing procedures.

Only after you are hired will your previous LE experience in the MPs do you some good, when LE supervisors are looking for previous experience to fill special jobs, etc.

The biggest con that I can see in the MP field is promotions are slow and the TO&E of most MP BNs are not filled with a lot of senior NCOs slots.

In the CID field at least making Warrant Officer, is relatively easy in a few years.

As for individual MPs being 'asshats,' etc. there is no shortage of them in other MOSs and units. We all have our 1%.

deadday

03-10-2009, 20:15

I have been an MP in the US Army on a few occasions during my military career. I have done both combat (Korea) and garrison duties in CONUS and Occupied Japan.

It is a needed and honorable MOS and good job. The combat MPs are respected by the troops that they serve with for the jobs that they do.

As for LE jobs, as I said I was an MP off and on and I served 34 Years in civilian LE and retired as a Captain from a Major LE department.

When trying for a civilian job as an LEO, you will find that having been an MP doesn't do a thing for you in most civil service testing procedures.

Only after you are hired will your previous LE experience in the MPs do you some good, when LE supervisors are looking for previous experience to fill special jobs, etc.

The biggest con that I can see in the MP field is promotions are slow and the TO&E of most MP BNs are not filled with a lot of senior NCOs slots.

In the CID field at least making Warrant Officer, is relatively easy in a few years.

As for individual MPs being 'asshats,' etc. there is no shortage of them in other MOSs and units. We all have our 1%.

I honestly think you would cringe at todays MP Corps...I know it ain't their fault, but damn, at some point the commanders have got to say, this **** is just stupid....

GreenBeret1631

03-10-2009, 20:24

I honestly think you would cringe at todays MP Corps...I know it ain't their fault, but damn, at some point the commanders have got to say, this **** is just stupid....

I don't think so, especially when I thing about the female MP Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester, was awarded the Silver Star in Iraq for her role in thwarting an Iraqi insurgent ambush.

Does being chased down by MP and given a speeding ticket because I was trying to get my Soldier to the aid station before he bled out count? There were no air assets close enough, so we drove him in, called ahead, were cleared through the gate without stopping. As luck would have it, Top was riding with us that day, so when the MPs (there were 4 of them at this point) started screaming he told them all to **** off.

Or how about receiving a parking ticket on the FOB? We had intel that a large VBIED was headed our way so we parked the trucks along the barriers for the extra firepower (M2s, Mk19s). 2 of 6 trucks were issued parking citations. ****ing parking tickets.:steamed:

As I said, there are some great MPs, I've worked with them, but there are some **** birds in command of those units, and there are some MPs that can't think for themselves and do stupid things like I mentioned above...

Maybe I'm just *****y and ****ting all over this thread for no reason...it's been a rough week and I got one of those phone calls this morning.

GreenBeret1631

03-10-2009, 21:06

Does being chased down by MP and given a speeding ticket because I was trying to get my Soldier to the aid station before he bled out count? There were no air assets close enough, so we drove him in, called ahead, were cleared through the gate without stopping. As luck would have it, Top was riding with us that day, so when the MPs (there were 4 of them at this point) started screaming he told them all to **** off.

Or how about receiving a parking ticket on the FOB? We had intel that a large VBIED was headed our way so we parked the trucks along the barriers for the extra firepower (M2s, Mk19s). 2 of 6 trucks were issued parking citations. ****ing parking tickets.:steamed:

As I said, there are some great MPs, I've worked with them, but there are some **** birds in command of those units, and there are some MPs that can't think for themselves and do stupid things like I mentioned above...

Maybe I'm just *****y and ****ting all over this thread for no reason...it's been a rough week and I got one of those phone calls this morning.

If accurate, these two incidents sound pretty stupid. That said they are isolated incidents. On the other hand on incident #1 if the MPs didn't know what you were doing, they had no idea you were transporting a WIA soldier and the type of wound. Once they learned this, the DR should have been torn up. As for incident #2, again once the MP's learned of this Intel, they should have backed off and disregarded the tickets.

I would guess that if giving parking tickets (Parking control) is one of their FOB duties they were just trying to do their duty just like you. Perhaps they were not aware of the Intel. In any case your CO could go to the PM and get this DR business on these two incidents taken care of in a NY minute.

Incident #1 is run into by civilian LE all the time. Some times the transport is taken over by the LEO w/lights & siren, other times by an ambulance also with proper emergency equipment. Sometimes the driver is issued a ticket for reckless or negligent driving at the hospital after the transport.

In a combat zone they should have made every effort to see that the soldier was rushed to the aid station and issued no citations once they knew what was happening.

deadday

03-10-2009, 21:21

If accurate, these two incidents sound pretty stupid. That said they are isolated incidents. On the other hand on incident #1 if the MPs didn't know what you were doing, they had no idea you were transporting a WIA soldier and the type of wound. Once they learned this, the DR should have been torn up. As for incident #2, again once the MP's learned of this Intel, they should have backed off and disregarded the tickets.

I would guess that if giving parking tickets (Parking control) is one of their FOB duties they were just trying to do their duty just like you. Perhaps they were not aware of the Intel. In any case your CO could go to the PM and get this DR business on these two incidents taken care of in a NY minute.

Incident #1 is run into by civilian LE all the time. Some times the transport is taken over by the LEO w/lights & siren, other times by an ambulance also with proper emergency equipment. Sometimes the driver is issued a ticket for reckless or negligent driving at the hospital after the transport.

In a combat zone they should have made every effort to see that the soldier was rushed to the aid station and issued no citations once they knew what was happening.

Honestly, I don't know if the citations stood or not. When you are issued one in theatre, you sign it, then it goes off to your CoC, and you generally don't hear about it any more (unless you really did screw up and then you get the riot act from the 1SG and CO, or CSM and SCO if it's habitual)...

They were two incidents that really just rubbed me the wrong way and kinda soured my impression of L&O MPs....But, as you said, **** happens, and being in theatre is no different than the streets here....

Bren

03-11-2009, 13:56

I don't think so, especially when I thing about the female MP Sgt. Leigh Ann Hester, was awarded the Silver Star in Iraq for her role in thwarting an Iraqi insurgent ambush.

Maybe that's the whole story, who knows. Some people in the KY Guard say it's as much Jessica Lynch as Audie Murphy. I have no knowledge beyond what I get from guard troops I run into as a reservist in KY who has friends in the guard.

babarracing

03-27-2009, 16:59

DearDaddy:
I was talking about the 108 airborne/Air Assault MP'S. You need to get some kinda life.
Signed,
Barney Hertzog
PS
Hoah MP'S Again!!!!!!!!!

deadday

03-27-2009, 22:29

DearDaddy:
I was talking about the 108 airborne/Air Assault MP'S. You need to get some kinda life.
Signed,
Barney Hertzog
PS
Hoah MP'S Again!!!!!!!!!

What is a '108 airborne/Air Assault MP'? And, as far as I know, I'm not your daddy...Though I did drink quite a bit when I was around Bragg, so I guess it is a possibility....

babarracing

03-31-2009, 11:03

:tongueout: Hey: I'll be in Denver CO On Fri May 15 till Late Saturday night at a PowerLifting meet. Come on out and we'll talk about it. You'll recognize me I'll be the skinny old guy in the singlet with an Air Cav Tatoo on my left shoulder.
Love and you ain't my Daddy. OOps sorry it must be my dyslexia actin' up again I thought it was "DearDaddy" Not "DeadDay.

P.S.
Almost forgot 48th and I 25 at the Quality Inn, Ask for Barney.

deadday

03-31-2009, 11:15

:tongueout: Hey: I'll be in Denver CO On Fri May 15 till Late Saturday night at a PowerLifting meet. Come on out and we'll talk about it. You'll recognize me I'll be the skinny old guy in the singlet with an Air Cav Tatoo on my left shoulder.
Love and you ain't my Daddy. OOps sorry it must be my dyslexia actin' up again I thought it was "DearDaddy" Not "DeadDay.

P.S.
Almost forgot 48th and I 25 at the Quality Inn, Ask for Barney.

Lemme know when you hit Texas, we'll have a beer or 10....My next tattoo:

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j3/deadday/DSC05362.jpg

eta- why the hell does it always show as a link when I try to post pictures in the Army forum?:duuno:

babarracing

04-02-2009, 10:31

Hey Trooper,
:embarassed: I checked out the Tat. I really like it. I may have to get me one of those.

deadday

04-02-2009, 10:31

Hey Trooper,
:embarassed: I checked out the Tat. I really like it. I may have to get me one of those.

GTs very own tat2guy drew it up for me....Now I've gotta find someone in town I trust to do the work..

babarracing

04-03-2009, 09:55

:wavey: Would you be so kind as to send me an E-mail with that Air Cav Tatto attached so I can print it in case I decide to get it. It is pretty Cool.

NDC187

04-19-2009, 15:41

The reason why MP's get no respect is because they're job is policing u.s. soldiers. I mean, to me there is no cool factor in that. I understand there needs to be law enforcement but that's why the majority do not respect them.

ancient_serpent

04-19-2009, 18:25

Did 10 years in the MP MOS, never had a problem with "respect" from anyone else. Some MPs are ******s, but no more than you find in the Infantry, Cav, or anywhere else in the Army.
If you go MP, get SRT phase I as soon as you can then get your SRT Phase II M/O qualification. Get PSD school, or INIWIC. Good stuff, best kept secret in the Army.

CMoore

04-20-2009, 18:50

What does all that stuff mean? SRT, PSD, INIWIC?
Should be joining Thursday, and MP is my main interest as of now.

deadday

04-20-2009, 18:57

What does all that stuff mean? SRT, PSD, INIWIC?
Should be joining Thursday, and MP is my main interest as of now.

Special Response Team

Personal (sometimes called Personnel) Security Detail

I have no idea what INIWIC stands for, but it is a school on less than lethal tactics and weapons..